Photo courtesy of PRNewsfoto and Home With Dignity.
Home with Dignity is a mobile in-home euthanasia service for pets currently operating in 11 cities across the United States, including Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Cleveland, OH; Columbus, OH; Colorado Springs, CO; Kansas City, KS; Kansas City, MO; Minneapolis, MN; Philadelphia, PA; St. Louis, MO; and now offers Cincinnati, Ohio.1,2 Founded by Jim Humphries, DVM, in 2015, Home with Dignity aims to provide a compassionate end-of-life journey in the comforting and familiar environment of a pet’s own home. The company believes it helps owners say goodbye to their beloved pets more easily by taking the struggle out of transportation.
Humphries has been a veterinarian for 43 years and has owned and operated successful practices in Texas, Oregon, and Colorado. He is an adjunct professor at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine. “Having pets all my life, I not only know the incredible benefits and joy they bring us, but I also know the unfortunate pain of loss because they leave us too soon. Because here, I have a special interest in the new and rapidly growing specialty of palliative and home hospice care, which includes the peaceful end of life.” Humphries told the Home with Dignity website.
“Our pets are living longer now because of better nutrition and advanced cancer drugs and therapies. Many pet owners want their pets to enjoy the rest of their lives. months they have. These pets who give us so much love, joy, and a sense of family, deserve the best end of their lives we can give them. That includes disease control, special nutrition, the ability to enjoy and interact with family, and like you and me, the dignity they deserve as they reach the end of life.1
With advanced equipment and a team of experienced veterinarians, the organization is dedicated to honoring the special connection between pets and their owners with compassion and respect. Beyond offering euthanasia services, Home with Dignity provides extensive assistance to pet owners in navigating end-of-life decisions, including grief resources, virtual advice, and support on aftercare options.2
“Making the decision to say goodbye to your pet is one of the most difficult choices pet owners have to make,” says Pam Kloepfer, DVM, lead veterinarian at Home With Dignity in Cincinnati. “My goal is to make that experience as comfortable as I can for the pet owner and their pet, and part of that is choosing to grieve at home.”2
From Cincinnati, Kloepfer moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he earned his undergraduate and DVM degrees from The Ohio State University. Subsequently, he went on to complete a 1-year small animal rotating internship at Louisiana State University, and finally, returned to Columbus and spent 10 years serving as an emergency veterinarian and also assisting the Pet Poison Helpline as an associate veterinarian. .2,3
During his time in emergency training, he often encountered pet owners grappling with the profound challenges of their pets facing life-threatening illnesses or trauma, prompting many discussions about in pet euthanasia. Recognizing the great stress that both owners and pets experience in the emergency room setting when considering euthanasia, he concluded that providing in-home euthanasia was the best option.
Sources
- Home with Dignity. Accessed February 23, 2024. https://homewithdignity.com/
- Home with Dignity enters Cincinnati, Ohio, revolutionizing in-home euthanasia for pets. News release. Home with Dignity. February 21, 2024. Accessed February 23, 2024. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/home-with-dignity-enters-cincinnati-ohio-revolutionizing-in-home-euthanasia-for- pets-302064333 .html
- Our staff. Pet Poison Helpline. Accessed February 23, 2024. https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/about/staff/pam-kloepfer-dvm/
